I just wanted to respond to those who quoted my post, thanks to the Admin for allowing it. Whether they keep the thread open after this is up to them.
One question posed was how much training time I had. I can't answer that in specific hours, but I have been a NRA Basic Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun instructor since 2012, and I have both military (USAF Combat Arms) training, and law enforcement (NC Dept. of Corrections, now Dept of Public Safety) firearms training. I'm also a NRA Chief Range Safety Officer. I was also, but no longer, a NC Concealed Carry Instructor. I hope this satisfies my training requirements for the readership.
2A isn't as simple as the right to vote, or to believe in who you want (deity), or say what you feel. With any right, I believe, is a duty to responsibly exercise the right. Owning a firearm means you have the ability to operate something inherently dangerous, capable of taking a life, either your own or someone else's. It is, or should be, incumbent upon the owner to know how to operate it safely, and follow the guidelines set forth by the industry. certainly, firearms instruction does not guarantee that the owner will not be reckless or irresponsible even if they know how to do it safely, but it does prevent them from mishandling it out of ignorance.
As a society, we should take it upon ourselves to do what is best for the group as a whole, and not force the government, out of our lack of our own initiative, to mandate regulations designed to save ourselves from ourselves. However, in the absence of our own initiative, we need regulation sometimes. Many of us (the gun owners) take it upon ourselves to learn about our firearms and their safe operation, and the responsibilities that go with owning a firearm. Those who would refuse to consider this learning on their own should have it mandated for the greater good of everyone else. This is all I'm trying to say. It does not impinge on our 2A right, I feel in the long run, it will help to preserve it.
Those who would refuse to learn and accept safety training and proper operation are as dangerous to those who embrace it as those who know nothing about guns and are afraid of those who do.
These forums are everyone's platform for their opinion, hopefully based on their own knowledge and experience. The great unknown here is who is, and who isn't knowledgeable and responsible, as few of us have ever met or know each other beyond this forum. I can accept another's 1A right to speak their mind and state their opinion, although I may not agree with it either in part or on the whole. I would hope the readership feels the same way, that we can agree to disagree, if we cannot come to better terms.